The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu has advised Nigerians on behalf of the Government to channel their anger at the right quarters adding that Nigerians are right to be angry over the present situation of things in the nation.
The president’s aide in a piece titled ‘What is President Buhari doing with the economy?’ said the current economic crisis facing the country rose from the gross mismanagement and corruption from the past administration.
He further advised Nigerians in his piece to remember their mistakes of the past and avoid making it in the future.
“Nigerians are right to be disappointed but they must direct their anger at the right quarters. The bad management and corruption of the past are firmly to blame.”
Garba Shehu continued: “People are still talking about who ran governments in 1865, you want us to forget those who left government last year?
“Let us keep a fiery memory of the past so that we don’t repeat its mistakes. Look back, look ahead. The future must of necessity be built on the foundations of the past.
“To avoid repeating the past mistakes, Nigerians must come to terms with what went wrong with the past, how bad were things, what was done wrongly, what the past government should have done, before we come to what needs to be done to right those wrongs.
“Believe me, episodes from the Jonathan era can fill books, and other possibilities such as courtroom drama thriller.”
Pointing the excesses of the past administration, Garba Shehu said Goodluck Jonathan’s administration lacked the will to save for the rainy day.
“As explained by President Buhari again and again, trumpeted by Madam Adeosun and other senior officials, we solely relied on oil, the price of which was as high as US$140 per barrel.
“Government simply reticulated oil revenue through personal spending by corrupt leaders, wasteful expenses and salaries. This was done rather than investing in what would grow the economy.
“Economies grow due to capital investment in assets like seaports, airports, power plants, railways, roads and housing. Nigeria has not recorded a single major infrastructural project in the last 10 years. In short, the money was mismanaged.”
Adding further in his piece, Mr. Garba Shehu said Buhari inherited a stockpile of debts which necessitated the anti-corruption war.
“No government has ever considered the poor like this one. Under the current budget, the administration devoted N500Bn for social intervention programmes for those who need and deserve support.
“There are also programmes for affordable housing with mortgages which will transform thousands from tenant status to home ownership.
“Any process that will endure, must involve some pain but things will begin to improve. There is always a time lag between policy and effect. That is why the bad effects of past policies are manifesting now.”